Catholic Values

Aspects of Our Program Shaped by Catholic Values

There are several ways in which the Catholic identity can be seen in our institutions:

The term "catholic" means universal and applies to a church that is both global and multicultural. As the Catholic church becomes increasingly and genuinely global, our faith and identity must be continuously shaped and informed by the voices and viewpoints of these many cultures and world views. In practice, this means dedication to a study abroad program that includes countries from third world, and continued effort to recruit and welcome international students and faculty to our campuses.

Catholicism values social service. We are called by Christ to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27). This value is seen in our evolving traditions of service learning, service trips and the integration of topics such as social justice, social economics, and rural ministry into a variety of classes.

Catholic worship is sacramental and liturgical, involving the senses as well as the mind. Our institutions evince this through the architecture and artwork on campus, through vigorous art, theatre and music programs and also through the presence of the churches and liturgical worship.

Catholicism values tradition. Our curriculum remains rooted in the liberal arts, integrating our students into the larger community that includes those in the human family who have preceded us. The Catholic thought and tradition (further resources page) on many issues is always a potential aspect of our discussions and scholarly activities and is thoughtfully examined where it has a bearing. It is not a perspective into which students are indoctrinated, however, nor are faculty limited in their academic freedom of inquiry and expression.